


Palimpsest

by steampunkmagic



Category: Forever (TV)
Genre: Amnesia, F/M, Temporary Amnesia, amnesiac Jo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-05
Updated: 2016-03-05
Packaged: 2018-05-23 20:04:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6128548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/steampunkmagic/pseuds/steampunkmagic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Jo?"  A frantic voice cuts through the haze and a man's face appears above her, temporarily blocking the falling ash.   The scarf around his neck is smoking and his handsome features are smeared with black soot.   But he is only focused on her.   "Jo are you alright?"</p><p>                Everything fades to black before she can say the only response which comes to mind:</p><p>                'Who is Jo?'</p>
            </blockquote>





	Palimpsest

**Author's Note:**

> Because Amnesia is one of my favorite cheesey tropes! :)

** Palimpsest **

 

_Palimpsest ( /ˈpælɪmpsɛst/) a manuscript where the original writing has been erased to make room for new writing but of which traces remain_

 

 

                When she first opens her eyes she thinks it is snowing.

                Then the acrid taste of ash chokes the air in her lungs.   She wants to shield her face, to turn away, but her limbs will not respond - nothing will.   She is lying frozen on the hard ground as blaring alarms and people's screams press against her eardrums. 

                "Jo?"  A frantic voice cuts through the haze and a man's face appears above her, temporarily blocking the falling ash.   The scarf around his neck is smoking and his handsome features are smeared with black soot.   But he is only focused on her.   "Jo are you alright?"

                Everything fades to black before she can say the only response which comes to mind:

                'Who is Jo?'

 

 

* * *

 

 

                The next time she opens her eyes it is not to the sound of alarms but the rhythmic beeping of a hospital monitor.   She can turn her head now, though her body feels slow and sleepy.   The man is asleep in the chair beside the hospital bed, his body slumped awkwardly.   The soot and smoking scarf are gone but there are dark circles under his eyes like he has not slept in ages.

                As if sensing her gaze the man's eyes flutter open and then widen in surprise.   Exhausted relief colors his features as he springs to her bedside.   "You're awake, thank god!" 

                "What happened?"  Her voice is rough and foreign to her ears.   Does she always sound like this?

                "The bomb in Mrs. Steel's vehicle detonated.   You managed to get her clear but took the brunt of the blast yourself."  His brow furrows.  "You scared me, Detective."   

                She is a detective how interesting.   She does not feel like a cop, mostly she just feels like the morphine in her IV drip is working.   Also her mouth tastes like cotton balls.

                "Who are you?" 

                The man freezes, then, as if unsure what else to do with them, clasps his hands behind his back.   "You don't know who I am?"  His tone is more guarded now, unsure.  

                She shakes her head, which makes her vision blur a little around the edges.

                "Do you know who _you_ are?"  He asks slowly.  He leans forward an inch or two, watching her face carefully. 

                She thinks about it for a moment then shakes her head again.   Logically she knows this information should frighten her but she feels too numb for that now.  Panic will surely come later.

                The man nods then leaves the room.

 

 

* * *

 

 

                Her name is Josephine 'Jo' Martinez and she is a detective with the NYPD.  Her partner's name is Hanson and the man's name is Henry Morgan.   She has all the facts and figures.  Her birthday, her apartment number, how she takes her coffee.   There was a line of people ready to supply her with all this information and a host of doctor's to assure her that it all might come back to her in time.   But what she cannot figure out is why a police detective solves cases with the Medical Examiner. 

                It seems odd to her.  Though, to be honest, everything in her life seems completely bat shit at the moment.

                Henry comes to see her everyday and usually winds up on a bizarre, yet entertaining, tangent about medical equipment or other cases of amnesia.   She asks questions about their work together and he gladly regales her with tales of their previous cases.

                "There was a serial copycat serial killer?"  Jo shivers at the thought.

                "It was rather unpleasant."  Henry nods, not appearing distressed in the least.  That probably came from working with dead bodies all day.

                She studies his ironic half smile for a moment.  It seems almost familiar.  Her heart flutters oddly in her chest.  That only gives her more things to consider.

 

 

* * *

             

                Abe cooks her a welcome home feast when she gets released from the hospital.   When she first met him Jo thought for a minute that Abe must be her father, he certainly dotes like one.  But no, clearly the older man is Henry's father.

                They all squeeze into her small apartment, laughing and talking.  The place is completely unfamiliar to her and full of things she does not recall buying.  It is rather like living in a stage production.   But everyone is happy and puts her at ease quickly.  Jo can see why these are her friends.

                She watches Henry with the group and is surprised to see how stiff he is around other people.  He seems to like them all well enough; the man just appears at a loss on how to properly interact with people.  He is never like that with Jo, so why is she different?

                "You never told me how we met."  She joins Henry by the window, slightly away from the rest of the group.

                He chuckles.  "Well at first you seemed to suspect me of derailing a subway car and then you described me as, I quote:  'the weirdest, creepiest, most unusual person I've ever met'."

                Heat rises to her cheeks.  "I did not say that, did I?"

                Henry nods solemnly, but she can see the humor in his eyes.  "In front of half the precinct if I remember correctly."

                Jo laughs, tucking her face into his shoulder to hide her obvious mortification.

 

 

* * *

 

 

                Flashes come back, faces, names, and her 12th birthday party.  But not what she wants to know: what is Henry Morgan to her?  A friend?  A partner?  It just feels like there is something more there, something she cannot remember.   And of course Henry acts like an English gentleman out of an Austen film (she has been watching a lot of Netflix lately), so that even if they had been _married_ he would never make any move until her memory was restored.

                Jo does not know what to do.

 

 

* * *

 

 

                They are walking to the antiques shop because Abe has acquired a new painting he wants Jo to see.  It seems she is going to find out if she is an art person or not.

                "Have you considered becoming a P.I.?"  Henry remarks while adjusting his blue scarf.

                "A P.I.?"  Jo can no longer carry a badge and gun, at least not until her memory returns.  Since she cannot remember her training at the academy or her years on the force; she would be a liability to the other officers.  Unfortunately it appears her life had revolved around her work.  

                "Yes," Henry continues.  He slows his pace then stops so he can focus on her.  "You were a credit to your profession so your instincts will still be there.  As a private detective you could still use them."

                Jo contemplates this for a moment before deciding to follow one of her other instincts.  She leans into Henry, pressing their lips together.  He freezes for a moment under her touch and then gives in and kisses her back.  Jo may not remember anything beyond the last month, but, as Henry slips his arms around her waist, she knows she has wanted this for a long time.


End file.
